


The Other Side Of You

by Punkew



Category: Hunter X Hunter
Genre: Angst, Crying Killua Zoldyck, Embarrassed Killua Zoldyck, Friendship/Love, Gay Gon Freecs, Gay Killua Zoldyck, M/M, No Smut, Oblivious Gon Freecs, POV Gon Freecs, POV Killua Zoldyck, Physical Abuse, Romance, Teen Angst, Teen Romance, Verbal Abuse
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2021-01-27
Updated: 2021-01-26
Packaged: 2021-03-12 13:01:53
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence, No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 3
Words: 5,663
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/29010957
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Punkew/pseuds/Punkew
Summary: Gon has seen him at school. A smiling mask on his face, surrounded by people whose hearts have been stolen by his carefree attitude. Killua Zoldyck was his name, but who was he really?
Relationships: Gon Freecs & Killua Zoldyck, Gon Freecs/Killua Zoldyck
Comments: 4
Kudos: 49





	1. Prologue

**Author's Note:**

> Probably will barely be worked on at the moment. No smut in this story and it's likely to only be like 6-7 chapters long. Inspired by Sandra Cisneros. This was originally going to be in my one-shot book but too many parts are planned so I decided to make a separate work.

"You don't have to go Killua. Stay here." Gon frantically whispers out, his soft voice barely heard over the deep sobs from outside. 

Pounding fists continued to fly at the door, creating loud thumps. The fear in Killua's eyes only became more evident, the rims becoming glossy.

Gon's hand suddenly tightened around the other's wrist, in worry he'd leave.

"I'll forgive you Killua, I promise. Please come home," a heavy voice from outside sobbed out, and kept pleading and pleading, wails escaping their throats that were muffled by the thick front door. Gon wanted desperately for it all to end.

"Keep telling him he's not here." Gon hisses out to his father in a low voice. 

He turned back to Killua, his hand gently rubbing his arm in hopes to comfort him. He'd look like he was about to have a panic attack after all.

"I have to go back," Killua whispers.


	2. Rain Day

A Rainy Wednesday

GONS POV

Gon remembers the exact day that boy first showed up at Columbus Highschool. All the way back to the beginning of the ninth grade when Killua Zoldyck first stepped into the doorway of his first period English class.

He remembers the first little flutterings in his chest when Killua laid eyes on him once. The sudden nervousness that overtook him whenever they'd briefly speak, whether it'd be lending a pencil or something of the sort that really shouldn't have made him feel so much. It was kind of embarrassing.

Especially since Killua Zoldyck was the kinda person that girls fussed about every day. Gon didn't want to be that kind of person, the stupid kind that falls in love with people out of their leagues or obsessing over someone who wouldn't look twice their way. 

But either way, no one has ever piqued Gon's interest like that. No other girls or boys, nothing like how Killua did. Yet, a year and a half later, Gon still hasn't had the nerve to at least try to become friends with the other, who'd been almost always completely surrounded by people who weren't like Gon at all. You know the kind, the ones who could actually approach him.

Now, here he is, sitting in his third period Math class during Sophomore year, idly tapping his pencil against the wooden desk while his eyes are transfixed on the back of Killua's head in the front row.

"Oi, Gon. Do syou have the anshwer to the third queshtion?" Zushi loudly whispers out next to him, prodding his rib to awaken him from his daze. He had a big fat sucker lodged into his mouth, tucked away in his jaw that gave him something like a speech impediment.

Gon jerked back into his desk chair, his neck feeling uncomfortably warm as he tore his gaze away from Killua's head.

He looked down at the assignment along with Zushi, just to find that nothing was written down. Not even his name. He can't really say math is anywhere close to his strongest subject. In fact, it's probably his worst.

They both turned to look at each other, a sheepish curl forming along the line of Gon's lip as he scratched the back of his neck.

Zushi rolled his eyes before slapping his own paper onto Gon's desk. He slips the sucker out of his mouth, a glob of saliva coating it that makes Gon grimace. "Hurry and catch up," Zushi mutters and Gon quickly gets to it, scribbling down some vague answers. 

"You know, what are you gon' do about your Math and Science grades?" Zushi smirks, popping the candy back in. Gon winces. He hasn't dared to check them, and it isn't like his other classes were perfect A's to make up for it or anything. He'd like to blame it on the school system though, for bringing unnecessary stress on students. That's the cause for his lack of motivation, he sometimes likes to say.

"Maybe I'll get a tutor." Gon sighs, copying off the last answer Zushi had on his assignment. 

Zushi grumbles, biting down on the lollipop. "You say that every time, but don't actually get one." he drawls, and Gon is at a loss for words.

The bell eventually rings, and immediately he gets up from his desk without a second thought and stuffs his pencil into the pocket of his backpack. He steals one last glance at the front row, before swinging the bag around his shoulders to leave, paying no mind to Zushi's voice calling out behind him.

Gon shoulders his way out the classroom door, greeting the brightly lightened hallways with crowds of students exiting the next door classrooms to head towards the cafeteria.

Footsteps came from behind him as Zushi caught up, scowling beside Gon with an irritated glare.

"Prick, I had to turn the assignment in for you." He hisses, matching Gon's pace as they ambled down the corridor.

"It all hurts my head." Gon mumbles vaguely in reply, rubbing his forehead like some sick little kid. The obnoxious loud voices and yells that reverberated throughout the hallway didn't seem to help ease his headache either.

"What's exactly hurting your head? I'm not a mind reader you know." Zushi huffs as they turn a corner. Gon fastens his fingers on his backpack strap.

"Numbers. Letters. Math. Who in their right mind decided that letters should be added into math? It's bullshit." 

Zushi chuckles like it's hilarious. "Maybe you should stop smoking pot. Shits making you stupid." He says, and Gon just groans and lightly punches his shoulder as they enter the cafeteria door.

~

He doesn't listen about it all too much. The conversations that go on at the table. Gon just concentrates on his Coke bottle, twisting off the cap and watching as the bubbles rise and fizz while all the voices around him sound muffled. He wasn't some stupid antisocial dork or anything, some topics during a conversation were just uninteresting.

Girls are all they talk about anyway. A subject Gon couldn't find himself drawn in, despite dating a few since Junior High. They never lasted long though, he'd have to say the longest relationship had lasted maybe 'round two weeks and the girl's name was Retz. Nothing too exciting.

Suddenly, without any warning, an arm hooks around his shoulder, and Gon freezes mid-sip into his drink. 

"Say, Gon, got your eye on anyone these days?" Leorio teases, ruffling up his coarse hair, making it all unruly.

"He totally does. Zones out in math all the time." Zushi yells out from the opposing side of the table, and Gon wants to punch him in the face.

He felt his jaw twitch, as he tried to duck and get out of Leorio's grasp.

"Mmm. So she's in his math class huh? Tell me. Is it Neon? Maybe Canary?" Leorio edged closer with a smirk, leaning in like they were about to share a secret. 

"That doesn't mean anything. Math's the dudes worst subject." A guy next to Leorio utters, and Gon finally shoved him away, patting down his own hair to tame it again.

"No, there isn't anyone." He grunts, ignoring the images of Killua flashing through his mind. He's hidden his infatuation for about a year and a half. What's the difference now? 

Leorio chuckled, sighing out a dwindling laugh. "Alright, sorry dude." He says, rubbing his arm where Gon had shoved him.

Once everyone's attention was off of him, he let himself glance around the room, looking for the white tuft the hair, that could be seen on the other side of the cafeteria. He fixated his eyes on Killua's face, grinning, laughing, surrounded by lots of people.

His bulbous nose scrunches up, revealing a pretty smile that sort of makes Gon feel all ticklish inside. The world was so unfair. To put someone like him on the face of this planet. He heaved a breath and turned back to face the group in front of him. 

Gon finished up his lunch, and he didn't have to wait long for the bell ring.

~

When school's out, it's raining. The drops at first come steady and soft, falling from the white velvet-like sky, but by the minute they grow heavier and heavier. The patchy grass field next to the tall brownstone building is soaked, full of unpleasant mud puddles.

Gon strays around for a few minutes before he ambles off toward where the bike stands are located. Right toward the side of the school building, near the water fountain and office area. Riding a bike was how he got to school since Ging never wanted to get up early to take him.

The bike rests upon its kickstand while tied to the bar with a black number lock. He sets his umbrella down before squatting to mess with the lock. It's a little dark out, and there's the rain that continuously pierces his skin, and makes him shiver through the long-sleeved uniform.

The number lock finally unclips and just as he's about to kick at the stand, he notices a familiar figure near the water fountain.

A lean figure, sort of his height, with sodden white hair.

His eyes widened once he recognizes Killua, under the edge of the school roof, wiping away with a cloth at a mark on his white buttoned shirt. He's alone, cursing to himself, and Gon can't help but feel the need to say something. 

Maybe.. just maybe this time, he shouldn't ignore an opportunity.

Gon swallows down a nervous lump in his throat as he leaves his bike with his umbrella.

"Fuck--I'm going to be late," Killua hisses aloud, violently rubbing at the stain on his shirt. The hair on the nape of his neck was all plastered down to his skin.

Gon hesitated, licking his chapped lips before speaking.

"Do you need help?" He asks cautiously, his heart skipping a beat when Killua whirled around to face him. Killua's eyes are dark, his lashes and locks are soaking wet over his forehead, and the rainwater from the tousled mess on his head was sliding over his cheekbones. He looks gorgeous, it's so unfair.

He's silent for a moment, his expression blank as he stared at him. And there's a second when Gon can see him look past over his shoulder toward his bike.

"Your name's Gon, right? Could I please borrow your bike and umbrella?" He finally pleads, awkwardly rubbing the back of his neck that was drenched. 

Gon felt his skin shiver against the cold, his eyes scour the hefty rain all around them. "My house is far, I don't think I can let you get away with that." He says sheepishly, feeling a little guilty to turn down his request. 

"Could I ride with you then? Sorry-- I just really need to get home on time." Killua says quickly, and there's something in his eyes. Something urgent, and that's what makes Gon unable to say no.

"Sure... where do you live?"

Killua at first had seemed a little hesitant to answer that question. Now that Gon thinks about it, it's a little strange. He isn't sure if he has ever seen Killua outside of school at all.

"I live on Trenton street. That's not too out of the way, is it?" Killua says slowly, rubbing his own arms to warm himself up. 

Gon feels his mouth curl up in a smile. "That's actually on the way." 

It's not exactly the route he takes in the morning to get to school, but it's damn near it. 

"No way really? Oh, thank god. I really owe you one." Killua laughs out, sounding a little relieved as they began to walk toward the bars where Gon's bike stood on its kickstand.

Gon thrusts the kickstand up and mounts on the bike. 

"Let's go then, get on." he ushers and doesn't miss the way his heart pounds a little faster when Killua gets on behind him, placing his feet on the pegs while his hands lightly touch his shoulders.

Gon then makes the mistake of turning his head. He turns to face Killua, face barely any inches away from his own. And there's the little pretty mole, right under the outer corner of Killua's eye that throws Gon off.

"Sorry," Killua mumbles, his hands practically hovering over Gon's shoulder. He feels himself swallow hard.

"M-mind holding the umbrella?" Gon stutters, shrinking his head back. All the confidence he had, had dwindled away and now he was starting to sort of regret his decision. 

Killua blinks against the rain in his eyes, one foot idly tapping the ground. He nods, lifting one hand from Gon's shoulder to hold up the umbrella, despite already being soaked. 

Gon turned to look ahead, ignoring the immense amount of heat that circled in his cheeks as he began to propel and bike forward. At first, the wheels started off a little wobbly as if they were made of spaghetti, but when he gradually picked up some speed, the bike had moved a lot smoother. 

However, not before it stumbled quite a bit. Gon flinched, feeling Killua's hand dig into his shoulder like he was holding on for dear life.

"Fuck--" Killua gasps out, catching himself back up on the bike pedal after nearly tilting off. Gon knew how stupid they probably looked, biking down the sidewalk with two five-eleven highschoolers on a singular smallish bike. 

"You holding on okay?" Gon yells over the hard pounding rain. His voice is a little drowned out from the pattering noise, but nonetheless, Killua can hear him.

"Yeah, I'm really sorry about this all by the way. You have no idea." He hears Killua call outback, a sheepish smile through his words.

The rain grew a bit heavier, the gray concrete was no longer spotted with wet drops, and instead, its surface was completely soaked. Puddles began to form on the asphalt road, and cars drove past, the wheels making the water splash at their legs. Gon felt his nervousness slowly ease away.

They passed the park, the sky water gently whisking the bubbly creek that runs more into the forest. Mist drifted between the trees, each twig tipped with green from fresh leaf buds growing in for the Springtime. Gon liked the park, a lot actually. Every weekend, he'd hang out with some friends up further the river where it was denser, bringing his dad's pot for a smoke.

"Do you bike to school every day, Gon?" Killua suddenly asked, eyeing the colorful streetlights that blinked green and red, and reflected off the asphalt puddles. They were passing the main street, white lines where they crossed, guarded with the lady in a neon yellow vest.

"Yeah, do you walk? I don't think I've ever seen you on the way." Gon replied back over his shoulder, his eyes don't stray from ahead of him. He turned the bike on an intersection, going down a street from the main road where houses lined against the sleek blacktop.

"No, I walk home though. Just a different route." Killua says a little more quietly, and it was almost unintelligible. Makes sense, Gon thought. He hadn't ever seen him while he biked home either.

It wasn't long after they traversed the main street. They passed several rows of houses and Trenton street came to view around a crossing. Gon kept pedaling until Killua's hand gently shook his shoulder.

"Oi, Gon. Could you drop me off here?" Killua says, and Gon came to an abrupt stop.

He turned his head to look at the line of houses, trying to scope which one might be Killua's. The street was definitely at least middle-class, with smoothly paved blacktop roads and gray clean sidewalks. Gon couldn't say the same about the area he lived in though.

"Is that your house?" Gon asks, pointing to the one they currently stood in front of, just another large two-story residence with a perfect lawn and a huge garage.

Killua unmounted off of the bike but he still held the umbrella above Gon, shielding him from the rain. He doesn't focus on it too much.

"Ah- no. It's actually up more ahead," Killua answers honestly, and it looks like he regrets saying so.

Gon frowned, his eyebrows knit together in confusion. "Why here then?" He asks, looking at the other suburban-looking houses that stretched farther down.

Killua seemed stunned for a moment.

"Ah well, it's hard to explain." He laughed awkwardly, and It's kind of strange. When he thinks about it, Killua has always had that weird mysterious aura, even from a distance. In overheard conversations, he doesn't detail anything outside of his school life.

Gon got the hint and quickly dismissed it. "Nevermind, sorry."

"It's aight," Killua replied. "But really, thanks so much again." He says, stepping forward to give the umbrella's handle to Gon. The rain began to hit his partially dried button-up shirt again.

Gon gently pushed it back toward him, and Killua looked surprised. 

"You need it more than I do, don't you?" He hesitated.

"It's fine, just return to me, okay?" Gon felt a small smile flicker on his own face, and so he began to adjust himself on his bike.

Killua held it over himself, a pensive look on his face. "Thanks, I promise to return it."

"Goodbye, Killua."

"Goodbye, Gon."

And with that, Gon pedaled off. A familiar feeling rising up in his chest.


	3. Orange Juice

{One Week Later}

A Humid Friday

GONS POV

Gon jumps off his bike, letting it fall on the unruly front lawn as he stumbles and skids up the crumbly porch steps and towards the front door. It's been a week since he had dropped Killua off in the pouring rain. Now it was warm, humid, and sticky out, instead of the overcast skies all last week. 

Gon twists the handle and pushes the door open. Being immediately greeted with the living room, a waft of the smell of cigarettes, as well as Ging lounging on the couch, watching football with an aluminum beer can in his hand.

His father looks up at him as he walks inside. 

"Could you get me a beer in the fridge?" Ging asks in his usual gruffed voice, before sipping the rest of his current drink and then setting the empty can down on the coffee table. There were already five empty cans sprawled across the glass surface, some others tipped and rolled onto the hardwood floor.

Gon swings his backpack off to relieve his shoulders. He lets the strap dangle for a moment, right off his forearm while heavy with books. 

"Yeah, sure." He huffs and places his bag on the dining table before heading into the kitchen.

"Should be one on the bottom shelf!" He hears Ging yell out in the other room. He ambles toward the white refrigerator with a sigh, opens it, scours the fridge for a beer, just to find nothing.

"I think your all-out old man," Gon calls out, raising his voice so Ging could hear him. He searches the shelves one last time before giving up and slamming the fridge shut.

He returned back to the living, watching his father groan in annoyance and dig into his jean pockets. He pulled out his wallet and began to look through his cash.

"Can you stop by the store then? I'll give you extra to get something for yourself." Ging says, pulling out a twenty-dollar bill and his ID, handing it out to him. Gon felt a pang of irritation since he just got home and was still in his school uniform, but he took the money from his father's hands anyway.

"Yeah, sure whatever." He snorts and slips on a coat from the hanger before heading right back towards the door.

"Get me a twelve-pack, 'aight?" Ging calls out after him one last time and Gon just holds out a thumbs-up before shutting the door behind him.

Gon's bike is on its side on the lawn, right in the spot where the tall weeds need to be mowed. He slips the bill and ID in the back pocket of his black trousers, and sets his bike upright on its wheels, guiding it off the grass and onto the sidewalk.

He mounts the bike and begins to pedal down the road, in direction of the main street where all the gas stations and stores were at. The streets are not the most charming, or so not as charming as Killua's. There are only a few two-story homes, the majority are small and kept to themselves, all arrayed against the uneven concrete sidewalks where someone could easily trip and fall. 

When Gon heads into town and meets his first intersection, he usually just goes forward. But now, as he briefly halts at the intersecting roads, he can't help but take a left and right after noticing the green street sign labeled 'Trenton Street.'

The sidewalks begin to smooth out, the houses start to grow bigger and the road begins to appear sleeker as he pedals down the sidewalk. He enters Killua's street, and he's not sure what makes him do it. 

When Killua returned his umbrella at school the next day last week, very few words were exchanged between the two, even during the days after. He wasn't even at school today when Gon finally thought he'd built up enough courage to talk to him. Maybe it's disappointment? But what more was he expecting? Killua returned it, just like he promised.

So why was biking down Killua's street now?

Was he hoping to see him?

Possibly.

"Gon!" A well-known voice rang out, and it makes him jump in his seat. 

Gon goes to an abrupt stop and frantically glances at the houses around him until he sees a familiar face with a tuft of white hair behind one of the clear windows. It's a window of (as he expected) a two-story house with a huge ass garage and a perfect white picket fence, as well as a neat stone path towards the big front door. It's partially brick, and there are some perfect green hedges beneath the window. 

The driveway is empty as well.

Gon watches wide-eyed as Killua lifts up his window and waves him over. Wholey shit, it's not like he actually expected to see him. 

He hops off his bike, kicks down the kickstand, his heartbeat beginning to beat just a little faster.

"Yo," Killua says, the corner of his mouth curves upwards as his arms rest on the window seal. Gon can't help but notice how tired he looks, with subtle dark smudges under his eyes.

He walks up to the window before the hedge, clears his throat, and replies as casually as possible with a "Hey, what's up?" Yet there's sort of a giddy feeling that rises in his chest that he can barely contain.

"Not much, just a little bored and saw you come by." Killua hums, his eyes squinting in the sunlight while one of his forearms dangled off the edge. Then, his brow suddenly rose. "Never seen you take this road before?"

Gon felt the top of his ears grow pink, a little caught off-guard by his words. 

"The sidewalks are easier to ride on," he mumbles, subconsciously messing with the hem of his jacket sleeve.

Killua snickers, a friendly smirk on his face with a jaw that's sharp from all that gum he's been chewing in class. Gon can barely breathe from the way his blue eyes pop out in the streaming sun rays. They're lighter, gray flecked with bits of blue, and they practically glow with the direct sun casting its orange light across his features. 

"So, where you headed?" Killua asks, blinking against the UV rays with a voice that snaps Gon out of his brief trance.

"The store gotta pick up some beers."

"Oh?" Killua mouths, and tilts his head. "I never took you for a beer-drinker."

Gon began to rub the nape of his neck. "They're for my dad actually."

"I see," Killua says, a little too pensively and it makes Gon kind of wonder. 

"Well, I should really get going, my old man will get pissed if I'm gone for too long." Gon says, his body beginning to angle away.

"Wait, Gon." 

He stops in his tracks. 

"Could you please do me another favor and get me some orange juice from the store? I'm grounded, otherwise, I'd get some myself." Killua sighed out, but his eyes don't meet Gon's and his arms retreat to his side from upon the seal.

Gon's eyebrows raise in surprise. "Why're you grounded? Is that why you weren't at school today?" He asks, a little too serious.

"Long story, it was kind of stupid," Killua murmurs. "So could you get me some? I'll pay you." He says as he reaches a hand into the pocket of his baggy loose LEVI'S. 

Gon shook his head. "Yeah, but it's fine. I can pay." 

Even while being aware of his own feelings, he's not even sure of the reason that makes him so inclined and quick to say yes.

Oh god, I'm not acting like those stupid lovesick girls, right? Gon thinks and slightly grimaces at the image.

Despite saying he'd pay, Killua doesn't stop himself from pulling out some cash.

"I owe you already, don't think I've forgotten." he flashes his pretty grin that makes Gon's heart sharply jerk in his chest as he hands him a five-dollar bill.

Gon slowly takes the money from Killua's hand, standing there for a moment like some stunned idiot, before realization washes over him and he's inching his way towards his bike again.

"Does it matter what kind?" He pauses once again and asks over his shoulder, looking back at Killua in the window.

"Nah, orange juice is orange juice," Killua responds and begins to close the window again.

"Aight."

Gon retreats back to his bike and continues down the street.

~

KILLUA'S POV:

Killua thrums his fingers against the clean white wood of the window seal. He watches Gon through the window as he bikes off, disappearing around the corner behind some large neighboring houses. 

What a dork. He thinks, despite smiling to himself at the thought. 

Gon was definitely... something. 

He huffs out a sigh, eyes flitting over to the hardback books all tucked neatly in the oak shelves.

Killua usually sits here on his knees, in the empty office room. The warm rays that pooled through the open curtains felt nice. The dust particles in the sunlight glow like snow and fall steadily into the carpet. Sometimes when his family wasn't home, sitting by the dusty bookshelves while looking out the window was enough to ease his boredom a little bit. 

When he begins to stand up from the floor, a sharp ache rattled in his rib. Killua winces, resting a hand on his side to ease the pain while limping on a leg.

"Shit." He curses to himself and staggers to his dad's desk chair. Subconsciously, guilt settled onto his shoulders, but he immediately shrugged it off. His father wasn't home, so whatever. 

But that remembrance of the stone-cold look earlier, and that punch in the gut, had all made him feel nauseous in his belly. 

Why did it happen again?

~6 hours ago~

Killua blinks, his vision a blurry haze that slowly focuses on the smooth ceiling above. He rubs his eyes, ridding the rest of the reminiscences of a forgetful dream. 

The air was stagnant and the room was dark, save for a little bit of light peeking through the crack of the curtain. Killua slowly sits up, glancing around the room before he begins to paw about the sheets for his phone.

When he finally manages to grasp it after a long ten seconds of searching through the blankets, he pulls it from under the covers and grimaces from the blinding screen that flashes his eyes. 

It takes a good moment to adjust, but eventually, Killua gets the hang of it.

And that's when Killua's heart drops into the pit of his stomach. When his blood instantly grows cold and his face drains like it were bleached white.

Ten'twelve. School started two hours ago.

Why didn't his alarm go off? 

The door swings open, revealing his mother Kikyo, and Killua freezes. He meets her eyes, dark pupils already filling up with anger while her red lips twist into a sneer.

"Why are you still here?" Kikyo hisses, her voice stern and low. Killua flinched and the tone of her words.

"I'm sorry, my alarm didn't go off, I'll get ready right now." He says quickly, frantic to get out of bed. The sheets bundle messily beneath him and he throws his legs over the side of the mattress, but his mother stops him with a cold glare. One that Killua knows all too well.

"Don't bother. If I can't discipline you, then maybe your father will again." Kikyo replies darkly, and Killua's heart began to pound. She turned and Killua quickly opened his mouth to protest.

"Wait--Mom please." He cried out, but the door was already slammed shut.

Killua ducked his head, hands gripping the sheets to stop the shake in his body. It was like a routine, at least once a week he'd fuck up somehow.

And now it was just time to wait. 

He waited, it was eerily silent, his breath taking up the noise in the room.

But then he heard it, heavy footsteps. Heavy footsteps creaked the wooden stairs down the hall from his room. They moved steady, slow, and Killua just wanted it all to be over with.

When the door began to creak open once again, Killua slowly raised his head to look, his arms wrapped around his frame.

His father stood at the doorway, a gauntly framed face with a cold icy look in his blue eyes.

Killua gulped. 

~Present time~

"Killua?" A voice shouted from outside the window. Killua immediately perked up from the chair, glancing out the window. 

Gon was outside, a white plastic shopping bag hanging off the handle of his bike. Killua quickly got up, ignoring the pain in his side as he stumbled toward the window.

He opened it, lifting the seel to be greeted with the slight sweet breeze that picked up since earlier, and Gon's dorky grin as he sits on his bike on the sidewalk. The ache in his side was easily forgotten.

"Hey there," Killua says, smiling back and watching as Gon unmounted off his bike. Gon rummaged through the shopping bag, grabbing a bottle of Sunny D before meeting Killua at the window ledge.

"Hey." He says, holding out the bottle of orange juice and some of Killua's change. 

Killua took a moment to stuff the quarters in his back pocket and uncap the juice. He brought it forth to his lips, savoring the orange flavor that washes over his tongue.

"Thanks. I guess I owe you some more." He sighs out and rubs his mouth with the back of his knuckle. 

For a moment, it grows a little quiet, save for the rustling of the leaves in the hedges, and the plastic bag that tries to escape off the handle of Gon's bike.

Killua twists the cap back on and sets down the bottle of Sunny D on the ledge, resting his arms on the seel. "Know of any way I could maybe pay you back?" He finally asks after the brief silence.

He tries to not look at Gon too closely, the gentle pink on his cheeks from still being so warm in his jacket. 

"You've got a good grade in our math class right?" Gon speaks slowly, hands slipping into the pockets of his trousers.

Killua nods, a thought in his head that wondered where he was going with this. "Yeah, you got something in mind?" 

"Maybe you could tutor me for a little bit?" Gon says suggestively, his eyes frequently avoiding Killua's. Killua smirked, he'd known Gon was horrible at math. He didn't have to ask him to know or look at the grade book online. Whenever Gon was called on in class, he was caught off-guard and his answers were always way off from being right. Amusing really.

"You've got a bad grade in that class right?" He teased, watching the tops of Gon's ears grow red. 

"I do... I've been thinking a tutor might help." Gon answers quietly.

Killua stopped smirking. Should he tutor Gon? He had enough studying to do, and it's not like he can stay anywhere afterschool. But hell, he'd look like such an asshole if he declined after Gon had helped him twice.

Killua sighed, opening his mouth to speak.

"Alright, sure. If you don't mind spending lunch in the library," he says, and immediately Gon's eyes shone.

"I don't mind." He smiles, almost contagious enough for Killua to smile as well.

However, the slight growing curve of Killua's mouth comes to a halt when he notices an all too familiar car down the road. A black car, with tinted windows.

They're back.

Killua's heart began to race.

"Gon you have to go." Killua suddenly blurts out, his limbs were frozen in place but threatened to shake as he stared at the upcoming car.

Gon visibly grows confused, his brows furrowing as he turns to look behind him. "Is something wrong?" He asks, turning to face Killua again after not much success.

The car grew closer, and Killua's anxiety quickly spiked.

"Hurry, leave! I'll see you on Monday, okay?" Killua's ushers urgently, and finally does Gon get the message as he skids towards his bike. Killua slams the window down and shuts the curtains, his hands shaking. Why were they back so early? 

He peeks through the curtains, only then was he finally feeling some relief when he sees Gon's already pedaling while the black car comes into the driveway.

**Author's Note:**

> (This prologue might get redone but aye here's some nice foreshadowing ig)


End file.
